Press

Service

Sharp Images Without Phase Contrast

3D cryo-electron microscopy: new method for observing cell structure

Jülich, 18 February 2014 – 3D cryo-electron microscopy provides scientists with unique insights into the structure of biological samples. As the cells themselves produce relatively little contrast in images, phase-contrast methods are generally used. These, however, limit resolution capacity and the range of samples that can be used. Scientists at the Ernst Ruska-Centre and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have now presented an alternative method that enables high-resolution images of samples, notably thicker ones, to be recorded in 3D. The findings have been published in the specialist journal Nature Methods (DOI: 10.138/nmeth.2842).